I Am So There!
by Snake Eyes Hinton
Summary: My name is Katie Jones. Much like my friend Rogue, I can't really touch people. Not because I'll put them in a child's, but because I can literally paralyze them for the rest of their life of I do touch them. -will go episode to episode, first season for now-
1. Middleverse

Katie had nothing against these people. Honestly, they hadn't done anything to her, and she had done nothing to them, so why would she have anything against them? Other than that they were mutants, but she was too. There was just one major difference between herself and them.

They were freaking idiots!

Katie arrived to the Brotherhood mansion to find it a wreak. Mystique, otherwise known as her principle Ms. Darkholme, had approached her while she was in school. Her abilities had come in long ago, but she had no control. The only reason why Katie had gone with Mystique was because of Rogue, a girl who had no power over her "gifts" just like Katie.

Skin on skin contact with Katie can make use of what she touches disappear. Katie found her curse when she was with her boyfriend and ran her fingers over his arms lightly. When she pulled away, he couldn't move them for four weeks. And he was indefinitely mute. Such a thing made Katie never want to touch anyone again. Sure, it wasn't as bad as Rogue's, but even Rogue could sympathize. If Katie wanted, she knew she could kill with her power.

So, as she sat at the Brotherhood's home, Katie suddenly wanted to live on the street. Rogue was next to her, covered in light cloth and her hands held in leather gloves. Katie knew she would have to buy her own pair, but it was hard to find some nice gloves. "Katie, I expect you and Rogue to get along and make sure that those idiots don't mess things up. If they do, I'm sure you two can handle it," Mystique said as she left the house for the night.

Katie nodded. "What time should we be asleep?"

"I don't care. Early enough for you to be at school tomorrow and not get into trouble." Katie turned back to the television, grabbing the remote. Rogue was quiet as she did her algebra homework.

"Do I have something to look forward to tomorrow?" Katie asked Rogue. There was a silent agreement between them that they were together through everything. No secrets would be hidden from the other.

"Other than the X-geeks? Not much. Although, they're worth going to bed early to deal with them," Rogue replied in her southern accent. (I'm sorry, I don't notice how we say things, so I can't do the whole "Ah" and "mah" and all of that. I'll include things I notice, but... neither does Jemma) Katie nodded with a heavy sigh.

"Then I need to hit the sack. I'm not very nice already," she mumbled before stretching out over the couch. Lance poked her. "The heck you want?"

"That's where I sleep," he said blankly. Katie grab him a look before flicking him in the head, the blanket covering her skin. "Hey!"

"Too bad. Find somewhere else."

* * *

The next morning, Katie was not in the mood. Lance had woken her up by arguing with Pietro, who then proceeded to annoy Katie worse by making fun of her clothes and over sized sweatshirt. Then Toad ate a fly right next to her ear, licking it in the process and now he won't be speaking right for the next few days, and to top it off, Fred ate the good cereal.

Not a good morning.

Everyone avoided Katie when she got to school with the exception of Rogue, who found it be a normal day. "I cannot believe those idiots!" Katie seethed as she found her locker right next to Rouge's. The girl with pure white bangs opened her locker casually.

"I've been sayin' that since I got here." She grabbed the books for her first hour, which Katie was not lucky to have with her. "Don't worry, pretty soon it won't even phase you. It doesn't phase me now."

Katie sighed heavily, leaning against her locker with her book clutched to her chest. "I hope so. Can you show me where my class is, Rogue?" Rogue nodded once before a redhead swung next to Katie.

"Hey, you're Katie Jones, right? The new girl?" Katie looked at Rogue, who rolled her eyes and made a sound of disgust. "I'm Jean Grey, and I'm supposed to show you around and the works."

"Sorry, X-geek, but I already have someone to show me the ropes," Katie said with a fake smile. "I just don't trust myself around people who attack girls while they're pretty far out of it." Rogue winked at Katie before handing a pair of gloves that Rogue had as extra. Jean looked surprised as they walked past her, bumping her on both sides.

"Did you see the look on her face?!" Katie laughed when they were a good bit away. Rogue had a happy look on her face. "She was so surprised at what I said. As though she had no clue..." Katie trailed off, thinking for a second. When Rogue pulled her to a stop, she looked inside the classroom. "I guess I have to be nice to the other geeks, huh?"

"Yeah, especially the ones in this class. One of them could teleport you away, and the other could drag you through a wall," Rogue informed Katie, who blanched. "Of course, all you have to do is show a little skin. Just like me." Rogue waved bye and Katie sighed heavily.

Katie took a seat in the back. She hoped that she would be enough to keep her from being noticed. Until she found out that there were assigned seats and she had to sit next to Kitty Pride, who talked incessantly and constantly said "like", which annoyed Katie to no end. On her other side sat a German boy who was eating and spoke with his hands all weird. Forget how weird he wrote.

Second hour was with Lance, which was way better than how she thought it would be. If she could talk to him without his eyes wandering over to Kitty Pride, also in this class. And in fourth hour... and lunch... and sixth period. Lance was only with lunch and sixth besides second hour. Her third period was with Kurt, who turned out to be not as bad during third period.

At lunch, Katie had the pleasure of meeting Scott Summers and stopping a fight between him and Lance. She nearly beat Lance for it, but settled with taking away the power of this pinky for an hour. That felt way better than it probably should have.

At the end of the day, she felt that her annoyance only increased when someone nearly ran over her with his skateboard. She fell down to the side as she was on her way to meet up with Rogue and wait for her whilst she and Scott Summers practiced for some literature thing. "Hey, watch where you're going!" she yelled after him.

The boy pulled up to a stop, and Katie pulled a loose black strand from her Dutch braid. "You're with the Brotherhood," he said, and a spike flew next to her arm, pinning her to the ground. "Where is he?!"

"Who're you talking about?" Katie asked, trying to take the spike out. "I haven't even done anything with those idiots... Other than take Lance's bed. That couch is so uncomfortable." She pulled it out, and examined the hole in her shirt. "I actually like this shirt..." Katie glared at the boy with grey eyes.

"Where's Kurt?! I'm not asking again, man!"

"I'm not a man, first off! Second off, Toad I hear you all the way over here!" Katie turned to see the boy with a dysfunctional tongue trying to catch some flies. "I thought you learned your lesson this morning." She pulled off her glove just to scare him. She really did not like how that boy reeked. No body should smell that bad.

"'Ey, 'ey! I blend't blo nuffin!" Toad said, hands protecting himself. Katie smirked, and turned back to the guy who ran over her.

"If you're lookin' for someone, then go ask him. I'll serve my use," she said, bowing for him to lead the way. "And I'm Katie Jones."

"Yeah," he snorted, "I know. I'm Evan, but you can call me Spyke." He threw a spike and Toad was lodged on the tree.

Katie was surprised to see the device on the ground. She grabbed it, flipping it over and over until the thing was pointing at the nearest tree that Toad wasn't stuck to involuntarily. She hit a button and the tree disappeared. "Wicked! But, I think I know what happened to your pal..."

Evan groaned as Rogue came behind Katie. "I see you've acquainted yourself. Now let's go." Rogue grabbed Katie's wrist and began leading her away towards the back of the school. "You're coming with me to get back blue boy."

"Who?" Katie asked cluelessly.

"Follow me." Katie put up no fight as Rogue dragged her, and the machine, into what looked like a basement. There were three other X-Men already there, Kitty Pride, Jean Grey, and Scott Summers. "This is the last place I saw blue boy," Rogue said to Summers, making it clear that Katie was really just back up. Katie took off her gloves, shoving them in her pocket and thanking her lucky stars for the self defense classes she had taken as a younger teenager.

"I swear, if you hurt him-"

"Don't go threatenin' me now, or you'll never see your friend again!" Rogue interrupted Scott. Katie crossed her arms as she felt a shiver go through her. She heard two of the geeks say something that made her positively confused.

"I'm sorry, what language were you speaking? I speak English," Katie said when they were done. Kitty rolled her eyes and Spyke glared at her.

"It means they're in another dimension or something like that," Kitty translated. Katie thought about it.

"So we fry it," Scott said simply. Katie shrugged and stepped back with Rogue, who crossed her arms.

"Thanks," she whispered to Katie. "I just don't like having anyone else to back me up, y'know?"

"As if I'd trust them either," Katie whispered back as Scott was prepping to destroy the machine in general.

"Y'know, I could just, like, short the fuse, right?" Everyone gave Kitty a blank look, to which Katie nearly bust out laughing at. "Okay, never mind, forget I said anything." Katie gave her a grin as she muttered something to Jean. Then something blue appeared.

"Reset. Don't-" he disappeared just as quickly. Katie frowned.

"What'd he say?" Jean asked, and Kitty shrugged.

"He said 'reset don't', like don't reset," Spyke answered. "He wants you to blow it up, man."

"I think we should reset it," Katie spoke up. "Otherwise he wouldn't have appeared at all." Every single on of the X-Men in the room ignored her. "What the heck? Am I a ghost now or something?"

"Yeah, that's what generally happens."

"No, it sounded more like a warning," Scott said thoughfully.

"From the Fuzzball himself?"

"He may be a joker, but he knows when to get serious." Scott began using his hands as he spoke. "If he wanted us to not reset it, then why say reset first? I think he wants us to reset it."

"And we're totally ghosts," Katie mumbled to Rogue as she frowned. "This is dumb. Why are we even here? This ain't our problem."

"It's the right thing to do. Besides, I was the last person to see him."

Katie shrugged, feeling bad about what she'd said. She had been told several times that she only looked out for herself. "Sorry. I didn't think about that, Rogue."

"Don't feel bad. I didn't tell you," Rogue said before a light burst forth. Katie nearly fell from the burst of energy, and shielded her eyes. She opened them when Lance and the boys decided to make an appearance.

"Back off, guys!" Katie yelled, standing in front of the X-Men. "Otherwise, when it's you stuck in another dimension, you aren't getting any help from me." Lance sneered at her, and the roof above her shook. As it fell, some of the rocks hit Katie, and her vision blurred before Kitty Pride grabbed hold of her and pulled her out of the rubble.

"I'm going to get you," Katie said, breathing heavily. Rogue sat beside her. "Ro, do me a favor. Get Kurt back through. He ain't half bad in my opinion... I'll get Lance... when I wake up." Her eyes closed, and Rogue glared at the boys.

"Mystique sent us to look for you both," Lance said. "So you with us, or them?"

"You're with Mystique?!"

"Summers, you got your friends and I got mine." Katie felt herself being lifted. "And this ain't our fight. Just know now, any of you get as unlucky as blue boy, and I'm not helping any of you." Katie smiled as she faded into darkness.


	2. Turn of the Rogue

Katie had gotten Lance back easily enough. He didn't feel his legs at all over the weekend, and couldn't do a thing. Katie had been bedridden, actually laying on Mystique's bed in her room at night. She was kicked out in the morning, but she felt it was worth it.

Two weeks passed, and Rogue became Katie's regular sparring partner. They fought before school, after school, and teamed up against the boys when they tried to get Katie back for paralyzing Lance. It was funny, because nobody bothered to give Alvers any food since they didn't think about giving him anything until after Fred ate. Of course, Katie had been out for forty eight hours, so she thought it was a fair deal.

Katie had been sparring Rogue, technically taking a break where she was staring at Scott, when Mystique decided they were going on a trip, bags packed for both of them. "There was an open spot after someone got sick, and Miss Grey has too many absences to go."

"Uhhh," Katie said dumbly. Her body was ready to move, but her mind definitely was not ready to go around and think about things.

"You should stop wasting your time on Mr. Summers, Rogue," Ms. Darkholme said. "You remember when he attacked you, don't you? And I just heard about their training simulations where you're both the enemy."

"Me?" Katie yelled. "I mean, what'd I do?!" Katie fell back as Rogue gave her a look, though the auburn haired girl herself was trying hard not to smile. "Besides, what difference would it make? They don't like us, we don't like them, and you still want me to shut up most of the time. I just find it funny. " Katie crossed her arms over her chest. "I asked Kurt about it the other day, and he said that Scott, Ms. Monroe, nor Jean knew what we were talking about it. Funny, hunh?"

Mystique knew the only reason Katie was still with the Brotherhood was Rogue, and that she was still unsure of the X-Men after the whole Spyke incident, and when Scott almost got her with his blast when she accidentally pushed Jean as she fell because of Pietro. Yeah, he didn't hear out of one ear for an hour. But even Mystique knew when to leave it alone.

"Well," Katie said, taking off the gear she wore to spar with Rogue. "What're we waiting for? Seems like we haven't got much choice." She picked up a bag Mystique had dropped.

Katie saw Jean on her way to the bus after Rogue left, and felt pity. She grabbed Jean's arm, stopping her for a second. "I'm sorry. About the absent thing. Ms. Darkholme told me about it when I found I got the spot. I hope it gets sorted out so you don't miss anymore of them... Field trips, I mean." Katie laughed sheepishly.

Jean gave her a strange look. "Oh, uh, thank you." She peered into Katie. "Your mind seems to believe that enough anyway."

Katie's hands flew to her hair. "Bro! I do not like people invading the mind." The bus honked. "Oh, I'll see you later!" Katie waved bye as she rushed to the bus, handing her bag off to Scott before getting on the bus and sitting near the back. She had her phone in hand that her mother had given her. She sent a text to her mom before turning it off and putting it up.

Katie's mother knew all about it. Her curse and everything. Katie thought it was cool that her mom still accepted her, but her mom turned out to be a mutant too with super strength and high regenerative powers. Her mom was actually planning on coming up here eventually to meet her friends and everything... Not that she even had any.

"Man, you'd think people would have something better to do," Rogue commented.

"Nah," Katie said. "There's nothing to do in Bayville unless you're us anyway." She bumped clothed shoulder with Rogue. "We're the cursed ones after all. Doomed to be together until the end of time, right?" Rogue smiled bleakly.

"I guess so. At least we actually enjoy each other," Rogue responded before bumping back. Katie motioned her to wait a minute and grabbed a piece of paper from her pocket. "Who're you throwing it at?"

"See the girl two rows in front of Scott?" Rogue nodded. "Her. I'll make it look like he did it, so be sure to get in the middle of a conversation when this thing flies." Katie threw it, and turned to Rogue without looking to see if it hit.

"And so Lance was like, 'but she's a girl' and then Kitty was like, 'I don't think he even likes girls' and so I was like, 'who cares, it's the game of truth or dare, so do it', and then they like popped two differently colored M&Ms in and spat it into each other's drink before taking a sip." The two girls laughed quietly as the girl threw the paper back at Scott and the teacher frowned at him.

They high fived. "We are so good." Minutes later, Katie was asleep on her friend's shoulder.

The bus swerved, and Katie woke with a start as the kids began screaming. "Jesus!" Her blue eyes found Scott, who was looking back at them. "Do something!"

Scott hesitated only a moment before opening the window, and using his blasts. Katie had all of her weight on Rogue before the bus was set back down. After a few minutes, Katie took a piece of paper and wrote down a quick message. "'Thanks. Didn't mean to put pressure on you. Rogue's thankful too.' Why'd you put me in there?"

"Because you have a major crush on him, friend." Katie threw the paper at the seat in front of Scott, bouncing it onto his seat. He looked back with a raised brow before reading it. He smiled after a moment and wrote a quick message.

"'Think about it next time before you throw paper at someone and blame it on me.' Aww, he knows us so well, Rogue!"

"We head back." Rogue and Katie glared at the teacher. They actually wanted to go on this trip now that they were so far along. They weren't the only ones unhappy. "Now who wants to get out and push?"

Rogue stood up and walked past Katie so she could be heard easier. Katie made a note to make fun of Rogue because she stopped and placed a hand on Scott's seat. "Why not take our snow mobiles to the cave and wait out the storm there?"

Someone in the front spoke up, "Yeah, that's a great idea!" Katie thought that Rogue's popularity went up for that after all the shouts of agreement for what she said.

So, of course, Katie volunteered to ride with Rogue, no matter how much of a bad idea it probably was. Katie knew Rogue was competitive, so was Katie, but she didn't know how much. "Wanna test 'em out, tough guy?"

"You're on!"

"Huh?" Katie asked dumbly before wrapping her hands around Rogue's waist. She screamed in joy as they took off. "So that's what you meant!" Katie smirked as Rogue drove them around, swerving and attempting to pass Scott. Her smirk changed when Rogue tried to push Scott over.

"Scott! Rogue, chill out!" Katie yelled in her ear. Rogue didn't say anything, but Katie felt her tense up as she drove past. "Where did that come from? I mean, I know I always think about pushing them over a cliff, but at least I don't waste snow mobiles while I'm at it!"

"He deserves it for making us the enemies in simulations!"

"Once again, no need to waste valuable snow mobiles!"

When Rogue pulled to a stop, she was breathing hard. Scott showed up, and Katie smirked at him. "Sorry, no trophies for second place," Rogue said in a dark voice.

"As if you'd get first anyway. You don't have the guts to do anything face to face," Katie scowled.

"How did southern gals like you learn to handle a snow mobile?" Katie scowled.

"I'm from the Carolinas," she mumbled. Then dangerous Rogue turned to flirty Rogue.

"Let's just say I'm full of surprises."

* * *

Katie was positively bored from the pop quiz the geology teacher decided was necessary. In all honesty, she could care less about metamorphic rock. And Rogue wasn't even around to entertain her. Of course, she'd lost track of Scott long ago. No one else around really piqued her interest until a dark haired boy came by.

"Let me guess, you're as bored as I am if not more so," he said quietly. Katie blew out a sigh that blew some of her bangs from her face. "Where's the goth number you're usually with?"

"No idea. Rogue ditched me to be with Scott," Katie sighed. "They're probably fighting more than talking though." She leaned against the wall and let the group pass her by. "It sucks. I miss my goth girl."

The boy laughed. "I'm Killian. And you are?"

"Katelyn, though I prefer Katie. Killian, huh? Sounds like a tough guy name." Killian laughed, scanning her with dark blue eyes.

"I prefer to call myself a charmer. You're the girl who always has gloves on beside your goth friend, right?"

"I am," Katie confirmed. "It's a, uhm, germ thing?"

"A, uhm, germ thing?"

"Yes, a germ thing," Katie said with more confidence. "I'm fairly positive that it is a germ thing I have that makes me wear gloves all of the time. That and my hands are always cold."

Killian grabbed her wrist, about to pull her gloves off. "Can I feel how cold? I bet I'm colder."

Katie jumped, taking her hand back. "No. No, you can't feel how cold my hands are." She crossed her arms so her hands would remain unavailable to the boy trying to flirt with her. He seemed to feel bad though.

"I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"It's fine," Katie lied. "It's perfectly fine. I just... germ thing. I can get really disgusted."

"Oh... Well, now that I've made this awkward, how about we make it unawkward?"

"I swear you just made that word up."

"I did," Killian grins. "And now I'm going to add it to the dictionary somehow." Katie giggled as the rest of the trip didn't seem so bad anymore. Except for the stupid quiz thing. She definitely could have lived without that for the rest of her life.


	3. Spyke Cam

Katie couldn't believe that Rogue was leaving her behind to deal with the Brotherhood. It was the next day of school after the geology trip. School had just ended, and Katie noticed that Rogue hadn't even bothered to look at her, nonetheless talk to her. Instead, she spent all of her time with the X-Men. "Rogue, where are you going?"

"I, ah, gotta go," Rogue said, eyes split to the side. Katie crossed her arms, waiting for more of an explanation. "I joined the X-Men."

"I thought that they attacked you," Katie said automatically. "And used us as enemies in the simulations. What happened to change your mind?"

"I found some things out. Besides, the X-Men aren't bad people." A car honked not too far away where Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Kitty Pride, and Kurt Wagner were. "I gotta go."

"So that's it?" Katie called. "You find some new friends and I'm kicked to the curb? I thought we were a team, Rogue!"

"We are a team! Just because you live at the Brotherhood house doesn't mean you have to fight on their side," Rogue said, the car honking again as Kitty and Kurt began making their way towards them. "If you want, I can talk to the prof about bringing you over the mansion."

"Oh, of course. An upgrade from the crappy couch to a mansion," Katie said with an eye roll. "Who could resist?" Katie felt hurt more than anger then at that moment. "I thought we were a team... Teammates think about each other. I had no idea where you were, Rogue..." Katie watched as Rogue opened her mouth to say something before her new friends swiped her away. "I guess we aren't a team anymore. It was nice having your back, Rogue!"

Rogue looked behind her to say something to Katie, but the dark haired girl was already going to Lance's jeep. She took the passenger seat before anyone could stop her, and stared straight ahead to ignore the tears pricking her eyes. "Whoa, you alright, Katie?"

"I'm fine, Toad. Just drive back to the stupid house," Katie replied, dropping her bag. "I'm not joining in on the Monday Musings of Idiots. I have homework now that Mystique finally got the girls' room done." Lance patted her shoulder. Katie stiffened under his touch and he drew away. He had forgotten how easy Katie got uncomfortable.

Katie said nothing as the boys messed around with Lance yelling at them to be careful with his jeep. She stared straight ahead and listened to the radio as best she could, and was out of the car before it even pulled to a full stop. She went to the girls' room, also known as her room, and slammed the door shut, earning a yell from Mystique.

She threw herself on her bed, grabbing the pillows and breathing so she wouldn't cry. Her only friend in this crappy place had left her for the enemy. For the people who used them in simulations to practice against. She was well aware when Lance and Pietro knocked on her door, but she ignored it on purpose. She even threw a pillow at them when Lance opened the door anyway.

Katie took out her algebra homework, completing in a record of fifteen minutes when her phone rang. She picked it up, looking at the caller ID. "Mom?"

"Oh, darling, what's wrong? Is it a boy?"

Katie sniffled. "No. My only friend left the Brotherhood to go fight with the X-Men."

"I'm so sorry, honey," her mother, Janet, said. "I'm coming down next month, if that makes anything better. I'll be there soon, baby girl. Hold out for me and make some new friends. I wanna scare a boyfriend when I get up there."

Katie laughed, feeling better now that she had spoken to her mother. "Thanks, mommy. I love you."

"I love you too. Goodnight."

"Night." Katie hung up, and stared at her phone as the door opened and the smell of pizza wafted in. Pietro and Lance walked in with a plate that had two slices of pizza on it. "Thanks, guys."

"So, Rogue joined the X-Men, huh?" Lance asked, making conversation. Katie made a face at her pizza. "I guess it's true then. I figured Mystique was lying."

Katie nodded. "Hey, can't she shapeshift or something like that?"

"Yeah, Mystique can take on various forms," Pietro said. "Not that it matters because no one really knows what she looks like without the blue skin, not even herself."

"So it's possible," Katie said without elaborating on what she found to be true. Mystique had scared Rogue into joining the Brotherhood. Not that Katie cared, because she was going to stay with them for a long while. Probably until her mother decided to bring her back home. "I'm surprised you aren't joining the other two idiots in their musing. I'm sure their brains are going on overload."

"We were worried about you," Lance said casually. "You might not like us, but we got curious. What could be going on inside the room that Katie just got her hands on... and we were wondering if we could take up the other two beds."

"Knock yourselves out," Katie said, knowing that it was what they wanted all along. "But if you keep me awake at night, I will knock you out for a week." She grabbed her next subject's homework and set to work on it.

"How will you do that?" Pietro asked with a smirk. "You won't be able to catch me."

"You're faster than a rabbit, Pietro... But you're arrogant," Katie said simply. "So, all it takes is simply luring you into a trap." Pietro kept smirking, and Katie tried pushing him off her bed. "Go away. I have homework, and I actually care about my grades." Pietro zipped by, grabbing her homework and dashing around the room twice before setting it back down on her bed. The forgery was perfect.

"Hey, wanna do all of my homework?" Katie asked, finding the answers to be right. Pietro grinned. "Okay, fine. You can stay, but you have to do at least one subject a night, which is whatever one I say."

"What about me?" Lance asked.

"You just don't annoy me, and we'll be alright," Katie replied before leaning back on her pillows. "Now shut up. That was all of my homework, so goodnight. I have to be rested up so I can face the world alone tomorrow." Pietro turned off the light so she would have an easier time and turned on a lamp light by his bed on the other side of the room.

Lance leaned down and whispered, "You're not alone, Katie." He stood up, and made his way to his bed, changing quickly and giving Katie a chance to appreciate him shirtless before laying down and going to sleep comfortably. She heard Pietro's snores, and sat up. She was putting on her shoes when Lance's hand came in contact with her shoulder.

"Crap, Lance," she breathed out. "You scared me."

"Where are you going?"

"To walk. I'm not running home, if that's what you think." She finished tying her shoes and stood up. "I'll be back in five minutes. I promise."

* * *

An hour later, Katie was crawling into her bed. She had completely forgotten about the time and went movie skipping. Lance had his back turned toward her, though she could tell that he wasn't asleep. When she was nearly asleep, he said, loud enough for her to hear, "That was longer than five minutes."

"Shut up," Katie mumbled, throwing her shoe at him. He yelped and glared at Katie before mumbling and going back to sleep. "I didn't pay attention to the time." She received no response, and fell into sleep rather quickly.

* * *

Katie refused Rogue when she tried to say something to her the next day. "Katie, come on. I talked to the prof, and he said it's a high possibility. Your mom has to be okay with it, but otherwise, he said he'll take you in."

"Funny how you had to ask after seeing me get worked up for it. What'd you think I was going to say, Rogue?! 'Yeah, sure, I'm perfectly fine. Let's be best friends forever and ever even though you pretty much abandoned me!'?" Katie slammed her locker door shut. "I'm not like that, Rogue. And I thought you knew that."

"I didn't know if you wanted to come to the Institute, Katie," Rogue said in her defense. "I mean, I just didn't know, Katie. You were settling into the Brotherhood pretty well."

"Rogue! Like, there you are!" Kitty greeted with a smile. "Are we still going to the movies later?"

"Yeah, just-" Katie began walking off before Rogue could see her tears. "Katie! Katie! Ugh, thanks Kitty."

Katie walked to her first hour class and plopped down next to Kurt. She crossed her arms and glared at the board. "Uhh... Are you okay?"

"No, I am not, so look forward, blue boy."


	4. Survival of the Fittest

Katie didn't talk to Rogue after she left. Rogue hadn't even bothered to think about taking Katie with her. And in the weeks that followed, Katie had an actually civil phone call with Lance Alvers, passed notes with Pietro Maximoff, refrained from calling Toad an idiot for twenty four hours, and even managed to be nice to Fred Dukes for a while without feeling pity. She had no idea what was wrong with her.

So when they were forced to go to some stupid camp, Katie was ready to hijack the bus and just leave. Especially when they met the guy in charge.

"You will not be making wallets, neck ties, or paper weights. You will not be engaging in potato sack races, water balloon tosses, or pony rides. You _will_ be taking twenty mile hikes, climbing mountains, and crossing treacherous waters with no more than a rope and all the courage you can muster." Katie blinked at the air, and sighed heavily. "Do you read me?"

"Sir, yes, sir," Katie answered tiredly. He gave her a look.

"What is your name?"

"Katie Jones."

"Well, Katie Jones, drop and give me twenty." Katie refrained from growling at him, going down and beginning the amount of push ups. "Hurry up or it's twenty more." Katie did growl this time, low in her throat, and thought rather heavily about touching her gloveless hand to his ankle and taking it out. Instead, she did as she was told and stood up when she was done.

"Welcome to Ironback Survival Camp." He walked toward Scott Summers as Katie leaned towards Lance. "Well, here we have a young man, Scott Sumners."

"Summers." Lance was silently laughing, and Katie smacked his stomach.

"Be nice, Alvers."

"I am, Jones." They shared a grin. To say that the two had been getting closer was an understatement. Katie actually answered his texts and phone calls, unlike with Toad and Pietro, and helped him out occasionally. When Pietro decided that he and Toad and Fred were going bowling, Katie and Lance stayed in to watch movies all night so they wouldn't have to deal with Maximoff's obnoxious voice. Which was pretty much every Friday.

So when she found that she had a crush on him... It was not good.

"...you will be following his orders," Sergeant Hawk said as he walked towards the Brotherhood. Katie shared a look with the other boys, and bit her lip so she didn't have to hear about it again. "You get ten minutes to stow your gear and report to the training field. Dismissed."

The normal kids were off before the Brotherhood and the X-Men. "Anybody know how to hotwire a bus? I'm officially MIA," Katie said, grabbing her bag. Lance, wearing gloves, grabbed hold of Katie by her arms in her short sleeved shirt.

"Whoa, girl. We gotta stay, you gotta stay."

"Actually, I can take this bus and bring you with me," Katie said, turning back to him. "I'm not staying here." She crossed her arms, black ponytail swinging.

"Well, pretty girl," Pietro said, pointing at her. "I think that if you bring him then you should bring me too. Forget the rest of them." He grinned broadly, and Katie rose a brow.

"What makes you think you're such better company?"

"Because I'm way better looking than he is."

Fred grumbled something about scholastic achievement and how he should be in charge. Then started Pietro insulting him and the Blob saying something about them being doomed. Katie thought they were so ridiculous that it wasn't worth really keeping up with their conversations.

"Yeah, I can hear it now. Search and rescue efforts abandoned for missing teens. No traces found." Katie found Toad entertaining, and that was why she kept up with his conversations.

Lance cut in. "Hey, easy guys. We'll hit them where it hurts most. In public, in front of everyone. Let's go."

If Katie was honest with herself, she didn't want to hurt anyone nearly as much as she wanted to hurt Pietro Maximoff. Perfectly understandable though. If she was perfectly honest with herself, she didn't want to hurt Pietro Maximoff as much as she wanted to hurt Mystique for beating the crap out of her the other day after Rogue left for the X-Men. And if Katie was perfectly honest with herself and the world, she didn't want to hurt Rogue at all, even if she left her for the X-Men.

But she wasn't being honest with herself. Because she thought she wanted Rogue to hurt as much as she did.

* * *

Katie was so disappointed in Lance that she was actually agreeing with the X-Men, including Jean Grey, for once in her life. They were climbing rope, Blob falling the first time five seconds after climbing up. Katie had been keeping up with Lance, her wonderfully ambitious goal. He had agreed that he would help her through, knowing that if she didn't have something to chase after that she wouldn't do it.

He did not keep that promise for very long.

After he zip lined, with Katie not too far behind, he and Scott got to the boats. Lance used his powers to make Scott fall in the water, and knocked her down in the process. "Lance!" she growled, grabbing a rock.

Spyke came up soon after herself, arm pulled back to pop Lance's boat. "Hey, we agreed no powers," Jean said, grabbing his arm. Katie crossed her arms, and glared at Lance. She felt Rogue next to her, but said nothing to or about her. Katie glared at Lance.

"Would it be wrong of me to wish you'd use your powers on him?" It was the first time Katie had spoken to Rogue in a while.

"Would it be wrong of me to wish we could both use our powers on him?"

"Not at all." Katie smiled a small smile. "Sorry about the show off. He's definitely out for blood when it comes to Scott."

Rogue smiled. "If he didn't like you and Kitty so much, I'd think that he had a thing for Scott."

"He likes Kitty," Katie corrected. "And I so agree. Head over heels for sure... Maybe Kitty is just a cover." Rogue began laughing as Katie couldn't hold it in. She saw that both herself and Rogue were getting the stink eye from Jean. And Kitty. "We might want to end this conversation. Your teammates are glaring at us."

"I wouldn't think you'd be worried about them."

"I'm not. I just so don't feel like getting in a fight whilst in a short sleeved shirt. No need to give your people another reason to hate me."

"They could be your people too." Katie shook her head, looking after Lance. "Oh, I get it. Someone has a crush."

"Coming from the girl who wants the guy in the water." Katie wasn't going to deny it to Rogue. "Sorry 'bout the last few weeks. I just..."

"Nah, don't sweat it. I'm sorry for doing that to you. I really should've thought about how you'd feel." Katie shared a smile with Rogue. "So, can I get your number? I'm tired of Pietro answering the Brotherhood phone."

"God, that's who he's been talking to?!" Katie face palmed. "He told me it was Jean."

"What about me?"

"Nothing." She saw Lance go in the water. "Nice shot." Scott ran through the finish line, and Blob, Pietro, and Toad turned up.

"Scott shoulda lost, and you know it," Blob said, pointing at the X-Men as Katie made herself scarce for a moment before reappearing beside Pietro.

"Yeah!" Pietro agreed. "Just because he slipped and took a bath, the guy went ballistic!"

"Slipped?" Kurt pointed two fingers at Pietro. "More like avalanched."

"He stole that first place ribbon," Todd said.

"No he didn't!"

"You want that ribbon so bad, I'll pin it to your forehead!" Rogue added to Kitty's comment. Then an all out fight erupted where Katie was mostly attempting to get out of it before she had to do something ridiculous because of their childishness.

And she nearly beat the crap out of the boys when they had to sixty push ups.

"Now on your feet." Katie stood up quickly, trying to show that she could take anything he threw at her and gain favor for whatever he decided the boys had to do. That she would have to do too because of them. "Here at Ironback, we have ways to weed the loudmouths from the tough guys," he said, looking at each of them individually. "We fight it out in the wilderness, against the wilderness. You guys wanna prove how tough you are, fine. First team to snatch a flag I planted up there on Mount Humiliation and brings it back to me wins."

"Cake walk," Pietro said. "I'll get it myself."

"Not if I beat you there," Kurt said, coming to stand next to Pietro in challenge.

"The whole team or no one," Sergeant Hawk said. "As proof, I want a snapshot of every member up at the top, are we clear?"

"Sir, yes, sir."

"You'll leave in five from opposite trails."

Katie was a good distance away when she heard Lance. "Hey, we don't need our powers to beat you."

"Fine then!" Scott said. "We'll play it straight, and you know what? We'll wave to you from the top."

"Good," Jean interjected. "That's the deal. We're all competing fairly, no powers. And I personally am very proud of yo-"

"Come on Jean."

* * *

"What's the hold up, boys?" Toad asks from his position up above the rest of the Brotherhood. Katie glares at him around Blob. "And Katie."

"Thought so, frog," she snorted, hanging on to the rope that held them to Blob. She glared at Lance. "Just had to make it power free, didn't you, Lance? No, no, we couldn't have Pietro hold the flag and let me take them out."

"Hey, don't blame me because you don't like to work," Lance grounded out.

"Too late." Katie sighed. "Sorry, Lance. Want me to blame Pietro instead?"

"Man, if he slips and falls, we are blubber history," Pietro said, not paying attention at all and watching out for himself.

"Fastest way to the top is a straight line Pietro," Alvers told Maximoff. "We are winning this race! Make no mistake."

They climbed like that for a while before she and the boys were left hanging suddenly. Katie yelped and nearly let go, Lance catching her with one arm. She held her breath for a moment, clinging to Lance. When she let it out, she quickly began supporting her own weight so not to be a nuisance to the brunette. "Little help here?" Lance called and they were suddenly jerked up.

Katie had the rockier path, so when she was being pulled *cough* dragged *cough cough*, rocks jabbed into her stomach and scratched her arms a little bit. She was thankful she brought jacket to hide the painful stabs left behind. She'd have to get to the top before looking at it.

"An abandoned mine?" Lance asked in an incredulous voice.

Blob nodded. "Toad's checking it out for a shortcut."

"Hey, there's like a tunnel in there that's a stair way to the top," Toad said, reappearing moments later and using two fingers as a diagram.

"Now you're talkin'! That flag is ours." Lance tore off the danger sign and walked in, Katie feeling reluctant to follow behind the boys.

"Guys, I think we should go around," Katie called. "This doesn't feel right." Lance stopped, shaking his head in exasperation.

"Do you want to win or not, Katie?" Lance asked in a growl. Katie split her eyes to the side. "Oh, come on!" He grabbed her by the arm roughly, and she let him drag her inside. She broke off in a jog as the boys began running to the tunnel Toad mentioned. They came to a stop.

"You bonehead!" Lance yelled, grabbing Toad and pushing him against the cavern walls. Katie flinched back. "We can't get through there! We probably lost because of you!"

"Lance, calm down!" Katie yelled, grabbing his arm with her jacket sleeves. "You're going to make it rain down on us!"

"I, uh, kinda figured you c-could, uh, you know, maybe avalanche it loose a little bit," Toad said, completely ignoring Katie as Lance glared at her.

"Yeah, he's right. Add a little more juice, Lance." Katie glanced at Lance imploringly. He pushed Toad into the wall before being an idiot and...

"Aww, man, it's comin' down!" Blob yelled over the falling rock. Katie glared at Lance as it came tumbling down.

Minutes later, Katie heard familiar screaming. Don't ask why she knew that scream. "Wait... Rogue! Rogue, we're down here! Ro!"

"Hey, guys, come help me. They're over here!"

"Don't leave us down here, man!" Todd shouted. "Not for some stupid flag."

"We won't," Scott called down. Kitty came down first.

"Come on, Katie," Lance said, helping her towards Kitty. "You're first out."

"You sure, Lance?"

"Positive," he replied with a regretful grin. Katie nodded, and climbing up the rope with limited help from Kitty Pryde.

Katie was almost asleep when she jumped from a loud voice warning the X-Men of needed help from Xavier, and enticing the Brotherhood to help Mystique. Still mad about the whole fight thing with Mystique, Katie wasn't sure she wanted to help her, but the prof was enough to get her movie. The two groups took a quick picture, Katie next to Rogue with their arms connecting each other since they both had either a sweatshirt or a jacket on.

Katie ran inside the house when they got there and grabbed her "suit" which consisted mostly of a tight long sleeved t-shirt and tight black legging with blue vines trailing up the side. She ran back out, changed before the rest of the boys.

Katie whistled when she found the Juggernaut tearing about the Danger Room. "Y'know, I had fits as a child, but not as bad as this," She said loudly, attracting his attention. "How are ya?" She slipped off her gloves.

"Well now. This is unexpected," Mystique commented. "Mainly because Katie came to save my skin."

"Correction!" Katie yelled. "I came to save the guy in the wheelchair! And this guy. Who is he?" She bent down next to Wolverine.

"Don't touch him," Rogue said. "He gets cranky."

"Thanks for the warning." Katie began paying attention when Jean threw the Juggernaut towards her. "Yo! Warning next time!" The Juggernaut reached for her and Katie grabbed onto his wrist, wrapping her arms around it. His whole arm jerked and flicked her away. He stared at his hand in amazement before shaking it out and regaining full control.

"Is it bad that I'm jealous?" Lance asked, helping Katie up.

"Nah," Katie mumbled, rolling up her sleeves. "But him throwing me like that hurt." Katie went in again, going for his eyes. She climbed up his arm as Rogue came through the wall thanks to Kitty's help. They grinned before Rogue unlocked another click on his helmet and Katie placed hers again his eye lids. With any luck, he wouldn't be able to open his eyes for five minutes.

The Juggernaut threw them off, and Katie hit the wall at the far end. She lost her breath, and stayed still for a minute or two. "That hurt," she winced as she sat up. A shudder ran through her as Toad grabbed the helmet with his tongue. Pietro came next to her, seeing her arms.

"When did that happen?"

"Camp. Blob dragged us up," Katie answered, pulling her sleeves down. "Don't tell Lance. He'll go ballistic."

"Come on, boys and Katie. Let's get out of here before you're invited to a slumber party," Mystique said, lifting Katie up. She passed Katie off to Lance and Pietro after a minute, who checked on her before letting her walk on her own.

"So, pretty intense, huh?" Lance asked to make conversation.

"Pretty intense." Katie bumped shoulders with him. "We should go celebrate this weekend. Movies, and I'll get my mom to send some money to pay for it."

"Sounds like a plan. Inviting those three?" Katie nodded. "Alright. I'll tell them about it Friday so Blob and Toad can have something to do." Katie laughed, and the six of them walked to the Brotherhood house before collapsing in bed.


	5. Shadowed Past

Katie was positively tired when Friday came around. Pietro had been endlessly trying to get her to trade in her suit for something more fashionable while Lance and Blob were trying to use the money she got from her mom to do stupid pranks. Toad was trying to use it for more pizza, and Mystique was trying to use it for the bills. So she had to constantly hide it from them. She and Rogue were getting along, and today was the day that Katie was supposed to sit at their table during lunch.

"Morning, Katie," Blob said as he came up the stairs. Katie mumbled a brief hello before going into the bathroom and changing into her blue shirt and jeans.

She brushed her teeth before deciding that she didn't know what to do with her hair. Lance knocked on the door before coming in. He was surprised to see her hair down. "Whoa.. Didn't know your hair was so long. It's usually in that high ponytail or braid of yours."

Katie sighed. "I know. I just don't know what I want to do with it today, y'know? I'm getting real tired of pulling it into a ponytail, but my arms hurt enough that I don't want to braid it after that wrestling match with Pietro last night." She looked into the mirror. "Maybe I should just pull it in a ponytail anyway."

Lance looked at her in the mirror before turning her around. He pulled at the shorter tendrils. "I didn't know you had bangs!"

"I usually pin them back," Katie said with a shrug. "And watch the hands. I don't have sleeves." She brushed his hand off carefully. "I do not feel like being responsible for your stupidness of touching my skin." Lance shrugged before brushing his teeth quickly. He went into a drawer and pulled out a curling wand.

"I think this should come in handy. I'm leaving for school in an hour. Mystique set the time to get us up and at school early," he said, leaving the bathroom. Katie looked at the wand before looking at her raven hair that fell to right above her waist.

"Jesus," she mumbled before setting to work.

* * *

Lance grinned at Katie as she took shotgun in his jeep. It was agreed that Katie either got to drive or had the passenger side. Sitting in the back always led to someone getting hurt. "Happy?"

"Whoa! Since when was Katie hot?!" Pietro yelled, causing Katie to turn back and glare at him. She held up her hand, slipping the glove off. "I mean, you've done something different- I mean, you look amazing- I mean- Lance, help me!"

"Even I gotta admit you lookin' pretty good," Toad said with a grin. Katie slapped him with the glove before covering her hand again. She crossed her arms and sat back in the chair. Lance laughed at her, even going as far as pulling a bouncy string. Katie glared at him out the corner of her eye as Blob woke up again.

"Huh?" Katie shook her head, feeling a headache coming on. She turned up the radio.

"You guys are idiots."

* * *

"So, I was thinkin' that we should hang out today- whoa, what's up with the hair?" Rogue asked as she closed her locker and saw Katie. "I mean, it looks great, but you don't really wake up early enough for this type of thing."

"Well, Mystique set it up in the hopes that the boys would actually make it to first period on time, failure by the way, and when I asked Lance what he thought I should do with my hair, he pulled out a curling wand and handed it to me." Katie paused in her actions. "Wait, why do we even have a curling wand?"

"Why do you have three bedrooms with no beds?"

"Point taken," Katie said with no hesitance. "And it's actually two. Lance, Pietro, and I have taken up the beds in one of the rooms." Rogue laughed. "What?"

"So you sleep in the same room as your crush?"

"Don't even go there," Katie said with a mock glare. "We are not going there today or tomorrow. Or do I have to remind you that you sleep in the same hallway as your crush and his girlfriend?"

"It's not the same as sleeping in the same room as my crush," Rogue said before Katie shrieked. Rogue jumped, spilling her books from her hands. She glared at Lance. "Thanks a lot!"

"No problem," he said in a haughty voice. Katie turned around and pushed him slightly with a frown. "So, who're you crushing on?"

Katie turned beet red and Rogue began laughing. "N-no one!" She bent down to pick up her things, standing back up too quickly and nearly falling into Lance, making Rogue laugh harder and Katie turn even more red. Lance smirked at her.

"Crushin' on Pietro, huh? I always knew you had a thing for him." At this, Rogue almost died laughing. She fell on the ground and people began staring. Katie bent down and picked up Rogue's books before grabbing Rogue by the shoulder and dragging her a bit before Rogue stood on her own and ran after Katie for her books. Lance stared after them with a smirk, though Kitty could see something resembling jealousy in his eyes, causing her to slam her locker door.

* * *

Katie slapped Rogue's arm. "What the crap?"

"That was hilarious and you know it." Rogue made a signal, and Katie got it immediately. "I mean, you? Like Pietro?"

"That's what I'm saying!" Katie agreed. "I mean, I fall asleep in seventh period all of the time. I can't believe you were making fun of me for falling asleep the same day he did." She bumped shoulders with Rogue.

"Still," Rogue started, "he shouldn't assume he's even in the Brotherhood." She smirked, and Katie knew that he went away.

"Think he bought it?"

"I know he did." She closed her locker door. "You're welcome. See you later."

"See ya."

* * *

Katie was innocently texting her mother when Pietro came into the Brotherhood living room and said, "Suit up. We have high orders."

"Mystique is not taking my Friday away from me. I'm supposed to hang with Rogue before we go watch the movie!" Katie complained. "Does she know how hard it is to find a convenient time when you have best friends who highly dislike each other?"

"It's mandatory," Pietro said simply as Katie's phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

"Yo, last minute Danger Room session. Hang tomorrow?"

"Of course," Katie answered before hanging up. "My afternoon is now free." She had her suit thrown at her. Grumbling, she went into the bedroom and started changing, in the process of putting her shirt on when Lance walked in. "Occupado!"

"Sorry!" The door closed with Lance waiting. Katie exited seconds later, pulling her hair into a ponytail with the curls bouncing around her as she skipped. Lance stared after her for a few seconds before deciding that he really did not want to know.

* * *

Katie was so surprised to see Mystique dressed in a cloak that hid her away entirely, calling Kurt Wagner her "son" that she didn't realize when the signal had been given to intervene. She joined the circle around Kurt, knowing she would not give her all against him. Kurt had become decreasingly annoying over the last few days since they fought together, and even had her cell number for any situation where she was required.

"Get out of here! All of you!" Mystique ordered them. Katie looked away from her and at Kurt, mouthing for him to run and get away. She noticed Lance's disapproving glance.

"No can do, boss lady. We have orders from higher up." Pietro snapped his fingers and Toad's tongue went to attack Kurt. Katie stepped in front of him, catching his tongue with her bare hand. Had Toad been able to speak correctly, Katie had no doubt numerous curses would be spilling out of his mouth and toward her.

"Katie, what are you doing?!" Lance yelled, grabbing her wrist. Katie reached out and grabbed hold of his own wrist rendering his hand useless for a few hours. "Katie!"

"I am not going to take orders from someone who isn't even around, and who I haven't even met!" Katie growled. She looked at Kurt. "Go!"

A blast forced Katie away from Kurt and to knock into Lance. She yelled in surprise and pain, mostly pain, and glared behind herself at Cyclops. "I was actually trying to help Nightcrawler, you-" Lance pinched her sides to shut her up before she something that would increasingly violent as she spoke. She instead glared at him.

"Don't give me that look," he growled at her. "You just helped the enemy and went against Magneto's orders. Are you crazy?" Katie grinned.

"It is quite possible." She stood up, and turned around. She saw Toad being flung into a pile of rubble and poor Blob being spun around in some type of device. Lance put his hands out as he saw Kitty and Jean near an unconscious Kurt. The ground shook, and Katie fell again. "Why am I always falling?!"

"No idea," Rogue mumbled. "Hope you don't mind that I absorbed your boyfriend." She helped Katie up, two sets of grey eyes meeting.

"Honestly, I don't have enough room to think, forget a boyfriend, Ro," Katie groaned. "And right now, you may have done me a favor."

Rogue nodded, running back into the fight. Katie sighed, unsure of where she really belonged. She had no interest in hurting them, either side... Well, maybe Cyclops, but that was relatively understandable.

In the end, Katie dragged Lance to the sideline while the X-Men drove away. Pietro, Toad, and Blob all glared at Katie, not even bothering to help her cat Lance. Honestly, Katie was getting sick of it.

Why would she take orders from this Magneto jerk when he never have them in person? She would obey any order as long as she saw the face of the person giving them. That was why she listened to Mystique. She gave orders to your face, not through some member on the team without good reason.

Katie could tell when Lance woke up. Her should was aching though, and she had sympathy for his hurting head. "I didn't fight them."

"I know."

"I'm not going to keep a mother from her child. Magneto can face me himself to give those orders." She adjusted Lance so he wasn't falling. Lance said nothing in return, and Katie could feel some tension. "So, I guess we aren't going to the movies?"

Lance chuckled. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Can't. I'm going to hang with Rogue." Lance glared at the ground. "I'm sorry."

He pushed himself off of Katie, making her trip over her feet. "You need to figure out where you belong. You call yourself a Brotherhood mutant, but you act like an X-Man. Either fight or go home to those geeks."

Katie looked at the ground. "Whatever." She pushed past Lance and began a long jog home with the other members of the Brotherhood ignoring her like professionals.


	6. Grim Reminder

Katie could honestly say that she had never felt so neglected in her life. Her mom was getting busy at the shop back in North Carolina, Lance and the boys were still mad at her, Rogue was spending time with Kitty since they were roommates, and Killian was the only one who ever even said hello to her.

But it wasn't their problem, so she'd get over it.

Katie didn't mind that her mom and Rogue were somewhat ignoring her and spending less time with her. It was completely understandable, and if Katie's mom didn't get done what she needed to get done, then she wouldn't be able to come up here within the next few weeks. And Rogue did have to live with Kitty, nonetheless stay in the same room as her. Katie just didn't appreciate the Brotherhood ignoring her. It was stupid and annoying. So when Lance and Pietro were suddenly finding somewhere else to sleep, Katie had no sympathy.

"Katie, let us in!"

"Hm? Here I was think I was a ghost," Katie mumbled loud enough for them to hear. "Must be thinking of a different Katie." She continued playing Sudoku and ignored the banging on the door.

"Katie!" Her cell phone began ringing as Pietro finally managed to pick the lock. But the door wouldn't open because of the many things blocking the door. Katie had a window to jump out of, and she wondered when the boys would think of it. She answered.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, Katie," Killian greeted. Katie smiled.

"Hey, Kill. What's up?"

"Well, I was wondering if maybe you could come out this afternoon now that exams are over and no more studying if required."

"I certainly can. Where do you wanna go?"

"Doesn't entirely matter to me. Can you take Lance's ride?"

"Of course, yeah."

"Meet me at the Institute then."

Katie became rock still. "You live at the Institute?"

"Of course," Killian replied. "I thought you knew I was a mutant?"

"No, I didn't." Katie then gave a small grin. "I'll meet you there." The banging at her door increased. Katie moved the dresser back to the corner, then the two desks, and the mattress. She knew they wouldn't destroy a mattress, that was too valuable in this house. On the next bang, Katie opened the door. "I'm leaving."

Lance froze mid-sentence. It was Friday, and for the last two weeks, Lance skipped out on Movie Night. He didn't move as Katie grabbed her jacket and looked at him expectantly. "Where are you going?"

"To hang with Killian. What difference does it make?" Katie asked stiffly, ponytail swishing as she spun quickly around to grab her cell, almost forgotten. "I've been less than a ghost these last two weeks." She let out a bitterness that even she hadn't expected. On her way past him, Lance grabbed her arm.

"What do you mean you're going to mess with that X-Geek?" Katie threw his arm away.

"Quit calling them that!" she shouted.

"What're you gonna do if I don't?" Lance ran a hand through his hair. "What does it even matter to you?" Katie turned away from him, and crossed her arms. She walked into the kitchen, looking for his keys. The brunette dangled them from the living room. Katie turned red and opened the door in time to see Mystique.

"Nice to see you too," Katie said sarcastically before leaving Mystique behind to stare at her and Lance to do whatever he wanted to do by himself. She shivered, and didn't even notice that it was pretty cold for summer. Of course, to her it was always cold.

Her cell rang again about forty minutes later. "Yeah?"

"Where are you?" Lance said a little loudly into the receiver. "I'm at the Institute gates, and Killian says you haven't been here. I was going to let you have my ride." Katie looked around herself, trying to find a familiar landmark. She hadn't realized that she missed several turns until then.

"I, uh, I don't know. I haven't been here before." Katie looked around again. "I guess.. .I just don't know, man. I wasn't paying attention."

"Just stay where you are. Rogue is going to go with Scott and I'm coming with Killian."

"No, no. I'll find my way back to known ground and then you can just come pick me up," Katie said in a low voice. "I'll be fine. I mean, it's only like seven at night. What's the worst that can happen?" Lance grumbled something that Katie couldn't hear.

"You have thirty minutes to get somewhere you know. No, actually you have ten." The line went dead, and Katie shivered again.

* * *

About six hours later, Katie got in the jeep with Lance and Killian, taking up the back seat. "Are you alright?" Killian asked, turning back to look at her. Katie nodded. "Remind me next time to just take Scott's ride and come pick you up. Maybe we can avoid a search and rescue."

Katie laughed slightly, reaching under Lance's seat for a blanket she placed the other day. She was so cold. "Katie, you alright?" It was Lance's turn.

"I'm fine," Katie said stiffly, wrapping herself up and laying down to avoid the winds. "I'm just tired." She snuggled into the blankets, closing her eyes.

* * *

Katie lifted her head up when she was placed on something soft and covered with a blanket. Big brown eyes looked into her grey ones as she laid it back down but didn't close her eyes. Katie had a feeling she wouldn't remember this later, if at all, as she couldn't place exactly where she knew them. He smoothed down her hair, the black tendrils now loose and falling around her.

"You are so stupid," he laughed lowly. "Even Killian agreed with me." Katie nodded her head blankly. The brown eyes shut, and something shifted the soft something. Katie's hand snaked out. She lifted his head off of the bed, and she brushed the area by his eye softly.

"Pretty brown eyes," she whispered. He chuckled, hand wrapping around her own. He pulled off the gloves carefully before setting them both down next her. Katie watched at he stood up, leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"If you weren't you, I don't think I would've gone back for you. Don't change, Katie. Got it?"


	7. The Cauldron

Katie honestly was not looking forward to this. She did not want to fight the X-Men just to have a ticket to the stupid Asteroid M, but at the same time... She wanted to go outside and touch people again without thinking she'll blind them or paralyze them or worse. So she would this time, and she would mean it.

Mystique had gone into the mansion under the cover of a cat. Katie sat in the jeep with Lance and the boys, filing her nails because she had nothing else to do. And because she didn't really want to think about Lance. Her feelings for him had grown a lot stronger, and it was almost hard to be near him. If she touched him... Forget the last guy, this time might be even worse because he knew about her curse.

Her black hair was pulled out of its braid. She glared at Pietro. "Put it back." Pietro shook his head, quickly bringing a brush through it and leaving it wavy. "Pietro!"

"Quicksilver," he corrected. The Brotherhood got over their anger towards her when she was MIA for almost a whole night. "And no way! You look great with your hair down and wavy like that. I'm doing you a favor, sis."

"I'm not your sister," Katie said with a sigh. Pietro winked. "Fine, whatever. I'll leave it down. But only because I'm not chasing you around for my ponytail holder." Katie brushed her bangs from her face, which had been pulled from their pins when Pietro came around.

"Change of plans," Mystique said in a quick and low voice through the talky. "They're on the move."

Lance grinned. "Not for long." He set the Jeep in drive, and began driving from their spot out onto the road. Katie shifted, hands rubbing against each other in the hot suit. "Hot?"

"Yeah," she replied. "But if what Magento's promisin' is true... I won't have to worry about it ever again." She stared at her gloved hands, and Lance put a hand over the both of them.

"Hey, let's get there first. Then we can talk about the party." She was silent for the rest of the ride, anxiety stirring in her stomach. They caught up to the X-Men easily enough, catching them with a nice breeze from the sea.

Katie drove as Lance pulled up the road in front of the X-Men, bumping their back to get them off the road. Lance used his powers again before Spyke sent back a few that took out both of his headlights. "Dang it. I'm probably going to have to pay for that," he mumbled.

"Now, Avalanche," Quicksilver said in an excited voice. Lance threw his hand out, the ground shaking again as rocks tumbled down and Kurt swerved to avoid them. Katie pulled to a stop right next to the van, jumping out easily. She took notice of who was there. She would have to choose one of them to take out, and it might just be a huge pain.

Quicksilver rushed around them on the sand, burying them quickly. Toad said after a few moments, "That didn't take too long at all." Katie heard something land behind them and fell to the ground as a wave of something flew above and through her. Katie stood, and noticed that she couldn't hear anything when Nightcrawler attacked Lance and Rogue went after Toad.

Katie growled, and turned to see Killian before he tackled her down. She landed in the sand, and when she opened her eyes, Killian was gone. She sat up, and took off her gloves, standing still. She saw movement out the corner of her eye and blocked the hit with her arm before wrapping her hand around it. She let go when it would prove to be useless for a while.

Katie saw Killian throw a punch, and moved back with it. He used his shoulder and flung his whole arm at her, once again she moved with it, forming a pattern until he kicked out and hit Katie in the stomach. Katie rolled out of the way when he brought his foot down where she had been. Katie wrapped a hand around his ankle, and he fell to the ground. Katie brought her elbow down, effectively knocking Killian out and winning the match.

Sound returned to Katie seconds after she won, and she joined by Lance's side. "I never once thought that I would have my ears taken out." Katie moved her head around, her ears feeling weird.

"Wow, Killian is so soft on you," Rogue said with a smirk. "Do you even know what he can do?"

"Ahhh... No."

"Illusions. You only thought you were deaf," she informed Katie. Katie blushed bright red. "He is so soft on you."

"Shut up." The metal balls came down, and Katie's smile dropped. Lance squeezed her shoulder.

"You'll be alright, Katie," he whispered. Katie nodded, the metal things coming out and going for her. Katie jumped back, and lashed out. One of the tentacles wrapped around her mouth, and she screamed. "Katie, calm down!" Katie was dragged into darkness.

* * *

Katie felt herself being lifted when light finally came. She glanced at Lance. "Thanks." Lance glanced down quickly, like he was trying not to let Katie notice. So she looked down at her hands. She left her gloves! Katie moved away from Lance.

"Come on, love birds!" Pietro called. Katie tucked her hands in her arms and followed behind Pietro and Blob before noticing an important someone missing. She pulled to a stop.

"Where's Rogue?" she asked Quicksilver. He shrugged, but something seemed off. Katie grabbed him by his suit. "Where is Rogue?"

"Look, I-I don't know! She's probably ahead of us!" Katie glared at Pietro before pushing him into the wall.

"You better hope she is." Katie walked ahead, being led by Blob, who seemed to know where he was going. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail, one that she stole back from Pietro. It was bumpy, but it would work in her opinion. She glared ahead of her until she came to a room. She saw Rogue in a small circular tube and Professor Xavier. She glared at Pietro.

Lance pulled her back and into him before she could try anything. "We are around Magneto. Y'know, the mega-mutant that we should fear for now and for the rest of our lives? I don't think hitting his son is going to help you."

"Because I care," she hissed back. Lance tightened his hold around her as Magneto approached them.

"Katherine Jones. How nice to meet you," Magneto said, holding a gloved hand out. Lance dropped his arms, and she shook his hand. "You seem upset, dear. Almost as though you aren't happy to see the beginning stages for your friend."

"I don't like seeing her comatose if that's what you mean," Katie replied, glaring at the tube that held Rogue. Her grey eyes flicked up to Magneto. "After all, who wants to see their best friend in the hands of a man who gives orders to separate a woman from her child."

"Still stuck on that, I see," Magneto said in an even voice. "Understandable. You must understand that Mystique was a threat to the young Kurt Wagner."

"I don't care. That's for them to sort out," Katie said. "Not for some mutant who's so big and bad that he has to show his authority to children by forcing them to live together."

"Katie," Lance hissed. "I'm sorry, sir, she doesn't-"

"No." The man held up a hand. "I understand where she comes from. But she must understand that her mother shouldn't have separated a father from his child, whether she knew or not."

Katie smiled. "So you know the jerk who had that one night stand with my mother." It wasn't a question on purpose. He knew, and that is why he mentioned it. It was more than one night, but it certainly wasn't a relationship either.

Magneto said nothing in reply, instead sharing words with Professor Xavier. Katie felt herself being pulled into a fourth tube, with one more left to fill. She reached back for the wall, only to find Lance, who shook his head. "It'll be fine," he assured her. "I'll be here when you wake up." Katie looked at him with wild eyes, being lifted farther up than she was comfortable with.

Then she was dropped back down. "Do not underestimate my ability, girl." Katie was breathing heavily. "I know your fear of heights is quite a problem for you. Can't ride the Ferris wheel because of it, but can deal with fast rides so long as they give you a good time." She glared at the magnetic mutant.

Lance bent down next to her, and helped her up. She was shaking, and trying hard to hide it. Lance held her tight in a hug for a moment before a set of doors opened up. Katie's hand flew to her mouth as she saw Scott Summers with a blonde boy who looked similar to himself.

She saw Scott's look when he saw them, and heard the professor in her head. 'I need you to distract Magneto for a while longer. He plans to mess with Scott's mind.'

'I can do that,' she thought, wondering if he got the message. 'But how?'

'Think about it,' he said back. Katie nodded, and grabbed a piece of metal, an angry look on her face. Nothing like making people think you're crazy. Lance grabbed her hand, and metal tentacles came for her again. She screamed, holding on to the metal with a death grip.

Magneto showed no mercy as he threw her into the tube, leaving her awake long enough to see the prof join her.

* * *

_"'Pretty brown eyes...' when did I say that?"_

"Why isn't she waking up?"

"She should be."

"Well, she isn't."

"Don't talk to him like that, Lance!"

"Shut up, Kitty! Katie? Katie?" She opened her eyes drearily to see faces surrounding her. Lance comes into focus first. "Thank God, I thought we lost you..." Katie sat up, rubbing the back of her head. She opened her mouth to ask what happened. "Magneto threw you in too hard, and your head smacked the glass. It was an accident though." Lance pulled her into a tight hug.

Katie stiffened. She looked at the prof, wrapping her arms around Lance slowly. 'Is there any chance...'

"Say no more, Katie. You're always welcome at the Institute."

Lance glanced at Xavier. "What're you talking about?"

Katie pushed Lance away weakly. "Let me up." He stared at her in open mouthed shock. She stood on her own two feet with the help of Rogue. "I can't stay there any longer, prof."

"Why not though?" He had his hands overlapping each other, elbows on his knees.

"I'm dangerous. Especially when feelings from and for others become far too involved." Katie looked at her bare hands. "I could..." She closed her mouth, unsure of how she wanted to finish it with all of the endless possibilities. Lance turned her around.

"No."

Rogue stepped beside Katie. "It ain't your call, Alvers. She can do what she wants."

"It evens out anyway," Killian murmured. He glanced at the professor. "I'm sorry, prof." He joined next to Pietro. Katie moved closer to the professor and the X-Men. Lance turned his back on her.

"I'm sorry," she said after him. "Remember that, Lance! I'm sorry!" Lance said nothing, and turned around. He walked back to Katie, wrapping his arms around her waist before kissing her briefly. Katie was breathing hard from the touch. He cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "Remember that, Katie. I'm sorry." As he walked away, Katie felt her heart crack at the heavy weight lifted off of her shoulders. She turned into Rogue, crying on her shoulder where it was covered.

"It's all right, Katie. You're with me now. You can't hurt him anymore."


End file.
